Conventionally, a transmitter 2001 and a recorder 2002 as shown in FIG. 11 are used for recording video data, audio data, and other data, which are transmitted by digital broadcasting. In FIG. 11, the transmitter (set-top box) 2001 receives digital-modulated stream data 2003 through an antenna, cable, or, the like, and demodulates the stream data 2003 to convert it into digital data. Generally, an MPEG2 transport stream is used as a format of digital data.
The digital data demodulated by the transmitter 2001 is input to the recorder 2002 through a digital interface 2004, and recorded. Preferably, an IEEE 1394 digital interface may be used as the digital interface 2004. Further, the recorder 2002 may have, as a recording medium, a D-VHS, a hard disk, or an optical disk.
However, when the data transmitted by digital broadcasting is recorded using the conventional transmitter 2001 and recorder 2002, the recorder 2002 cannot record the inputted digital data in the case as follows: when the bit rate of the digital data is higher than the maximum bit rate that can be handled by the recorder 2002; when the digital data is in a format that cannot be recorded by the recorder 2002; or when the digital data is in a format that cannot be reproduced after recording by the recorder 2002.